Photos below, excited to see what it looks like in the slick new livery!

http://airlinegeeks.com/2016/10/20/the- ... 777-300er/

I wasn't aware the 77W was getting a new livery. My understanding is they will be painted with standard colors.

77H wrote:

I wasn't aware the 77W was getting a new livery. My understanding is they will be painted with standard colors.

I heard the same too.

AVENSAB727 wrote:

77H wrote:

I wasn't aware the 77W was getting a new livery. My understanding is they will be painted with standard colors.

I heard the same too.

I heard it was being painted in JetBlue's livery.

SFOtoORD wrote:

AVENSAB727 wrote:

77H wrote:

I wasn't aware the 77W was getting a new livery. My understanding is they will be painted with standard colors.

I heard the same too.

I heard it was being painted in JetBlue's livery.

Hahaha thank you for making my evening!

I'm looking forward to seeing her fly. When is she scheduled to enter service?

Capt.Fantastic wrote:

I'm looking forward to seeing her fly. When is she scheduled to enter service?

December, I believe.

The new livery is probably the one on the 787s

AA737-823 wrote:

Capt.Fantastic wrote:

I'm looking forward to seeing her fly. When is she scheduled to enter service?

December, I believe.

Delivery is in December but won't enter service until January sometime.

LamboAston wrote:

The new livery is probably the one on the 787s

What new livery!!?? They aren't getting any new ones... The fricking Death Star livery is here to stay.

Rudder's not painted! Just saying. #brandrefresh #sorrynotsorry

skipness1E wrote:

Rudder's not painted! Just saying. #brandrefresh #sorrynotsorry

If you look closely you can see the gold bands. Between the tailplane and rudder.

Ok, a few things:

The banner on the side says - "Proudly building the first 777 for United Airlines"
That isn't right....

Also, why are the windows taped up as they are? Is this going into short term storage? They would not do that for paint, as the windows would be covered individually.

kaitak744 wrote:

Ok, a few things:

The banner on the side says - "Proudly building the first 777 for United Airlines"
That isn't right....

You'd think if they were that proud they would at least get it right.

kaitak744 wrote:

Ok, a few things:

The banner on the side says - "Proudly building the first 777 for United Airlines"
That isn't right....

Also, why are the windows taped up as they are? Is this going into short term storage? They would not do that for paint, as the windows would be covered individually.

It's to be delivered in Dec. How long does production testing usually take with 77s ?

kaitak744 wrote:

Ok, a few things:

The banner on the side says - "Proudly building the first 777 for United Airlines"
That isn't right....

Also, why are the windows taped up as they are? Is this going into short term storage? They would not do that for paint, as the windows would be covered individually.

"Proudly building the first 777-300ER for the first 777 Customer" would be better.

Very excited for this! Can't wait to see it enter service.

iahcsr wrote:

kaitak744 wrote:

Ok, a few things:

The banner on the side says - "Proudly building the first 777 for United Airlines"
That isn't right....

Also, why are the windows taped up as they are? Is this going into short term storage? They would not do that for paint, as the windows would be covered individually.

It's to be delivered in Dec. How long does production testing usually take with 77s ?

Well they did years ago....



And on that line where they are only (?) building 777s, it is true that it is the first 777 of that -300ER class for United.

No short term storage, unless Boeing calls it that. Looks like protection for the individual window coverings till paint time.

"777-300 ER New deliveries to begin 1Q17"

Will be great seeing these types enter the fleet....






Oops, premature

It's not uncommon for a new a/c type to be delivered with a new livery, but there's been no discussion of anything new. I still cannot look at the current livery and not think it should still say Continental on the side. UA really does need new branding.

A shame that we always have to relitigate the UA livery every few weeks. I think the minor brand refresh that they're doing right now is great. It modernizes and strengthens the UA identity into a better brand, which is exactly what UA needs right now. This is not the time to start over with a new livery. What we've seen in the mockups of the Polaris lounge and 77W cabin look great. Priestmangoode have done a good job of making the globe look like a more organic extension of the United brand rather than the tacked-on applications that were used immediately post-merger.



Also, I just love the Polaris dinnerware. I haven't seen an airline come up with dinnerware this whimsical in a really long time.

CALTECH wrote:

iahcsr wrote:

kaitak744 wrote:

Ok, a few things:

The banner on the side says - "Proudly building the first 777 for United Airlines"
That isn't right....

Also, why are the windows taped up as they are? Is this going into short term storage? They would not do that for paint, as the windows would be covered individually.

It's to be delivered in Dec. How long does production testing usually take with 77s ?

Well they did years ago....



And on that line where they are only (?) building 777s, it is true that it is the first 777 of that -300ER class for United.

No short term storage, unless Boeing calls it that. Looks like protection for the individual window coverings till paint time.

"777-300 ER New deliveries to begin 1Q17"

Will be great seeing these types enter the fleet....






Oops, premature

Not doubting when you or United says it will be delivered. Just saying, I have never seen such window coverings, unless a short term storage is planned.

Looking forward to seeing this aircraft enter the fleet. I feel like United is heading in exactly the correct direction right now. And as @intotheair rightly points out, the brand is being successfully reinvigorated as we speak - let's not cloud our anticipation of a new aircraft type by flogging a long, long dead horse.

intotheair wrote:

A shame that we always have to relitigate the UA livery every few weeks. I think the minor brand refresh that they're doing right now is great. It modernizes and strengthens the UA identity into a better brand, which is exactly what UA needs right now. This is not the time to start over with a new livery. What we've seen in the mockups of the Polaris lounge and 77W cabin look great. Priestmangoode have done a good job of making the globe look like a more organic extension of the United brand rather than the tacked-on applications that were used immediately post-merger.



Also, I just love the Polaris dinnerware. I haven't seen an airline come up with dinnerware this whimsical in a really long time.

I agree. The current livery is here to stay for sometime. Polaris is a great start but there are plenty of other aesthetic changes UA should make before changing the livery. For starters the thing I would like to see in the UA cabin is new cabin lighting and most of all new cabin sidewalls. The grey sidewalls with the white specks on the non-Sky interior 737's and 757's remind me of hair clippings.

I near exclusively fly UA but around this time last year I took a trip on DL and the cabin interior differences were night and day. I was on a 753 from HNL-SEA and cabin was immaculate. Bright white sidewalls with LED mood lighting. It felt like a first class cabin even though I was near the rear exit doors. The next week I was on a UA 753 and it looked like an old coach bus by comparison. The UA 777's are my favorite to fly on but the overhead bins are the color of a long time coffee drinkers teeth. I'd gladly live with the Globe into the next decade if the cabins are brought up to par.

77H

CALTECH wrote:

iahcsr wrote:

kaitak744 wrote:

Ok, a few things:

The banner on the side says - "Proudly building the first 777 for United Airlines"
That isn't right....

Also, why are the windows taped up as they are? Is this going into short term storage? They would not do that for paint, as the windows would be covered individually.

It's to be delivered in Dec. How long does production testing usually take with 77s ?

Well they did years ago....



And on that line where they are only (?) building 777s, it is true that it is the first 777 of that -300ER class for United.

No short term storage, unless Boeing calls it that. Looks like protection for the individual window coverings till paint time.

"777-300 ER New deliveries to begin 1Q17"

Will be great seeing these types enter the fleet....






Oops, premature

The last photo is more like "Your joking, right?" or "Not in your wildest dreams."

DFW789ER wrote:

It's not uncommon for a new a/c type to be delivered with a new livery, but there's been no discussion of anything new. I still cannot look at the current livery and not think it should still say Continental on the side. UA really does need new branding.

Merger happened. I also was partial to Continental. However it is done. The airline is United and the livery is the Continental livery. Time for all to move on.

Bald1983 wrote:

DFW789ER wrote:

It's not uncommon for a new a/c type to be delivered with a new livery, but there's been no discussion of anything new. I still cannot look at the current livery and not think it should still say Continental on the side. UA really does need new branding.

Merger happened. I also was partial to Continental. However it is done. The airline is United and the livery is the Continental livery. Time for all to move on.

And as someone who was a UA loyalist who was crushed to see the merged identity the day it was announced, I fully agree. Time for UA to get over all its grievances, move on, and reposition itself again as a competitive, world class airline. So far, things are looking up for UA.

Not the best of article if it did mention a new livery coming since that is definitely not the case. As of now these are also not really replacing any 747 routes except for SFO-HKG. 3 are being based at SFO and the rest are being based at EWR.

I have stated this before, one of the biggest strategic mistakes a company can make is to update their branding before updating it's product. That is true for UNITED, or for PIZZA HUT. A really new livery (not the small touch on the 787) signals a PROMISE of something new. Make that promise, but then deliver the "same old" can kill a company. I think (in fact I know given that I have been in branding for 30 years) that once enough aircraft are refitted with Polaris, the UNITED CLUBS renovated (especially the HUBS like EWR) and the service keeps improving, THEN SIGNAL THE CHANGE...and lead new customers your way and shore up the loyalty of your base.

I do not like the 1/4 globe at all (although, admittedly, I did something similar on the PEPSI CONCORDE so I shouldn't throw a stone)...but the 1/4 globe is it is workable as seen above. Pressman Goode did an awesome job on the new interiors and the details (e.e; salt and pepper shakers, the glass bowl, etc) are wonderful. The new domestic narrow body F seat, etc, I would say once more than half the fleet is renovated, then it's time to refresh the dated CO livery.

I can't wait to fly Polaris 777W (and the 787 when they are done)...from a renovated EWR United Club...should I live long enough!!!

I really like the new china, linens, flatware and glassware. It's really fun. The ice cream sundae dish and salt and pepper shakers are cool.

She looks pretty good. It would be good for United and their Pacific routes.

kaitak744 wrote:

Not doubting when you or United says it will be delivered. Just saying, I have never seen such window coverings, unless a short term storage is planned.

Don't think it has time for short term storage. Believe it is a extra liquid protection from the removal of the 'green' preservative, and not sure about Boeing's paint process, but there used to be a acid wash. Think it is to make sure no acid touches the window panes.

Bald1983 wrote:

The last photo is more like "Your joking, right?" or "Not in your wildest dreams."

Look below the last photo,.....

Well, it would be interesting to see a modest brand refresh to be introduced on the 77W. The CO Globe remains one of my favorites, but I admit, the gold cheat line and grey is aged otherwise.

New plane, new F product. Sounds like the perfect catalyst.

Wasn't there a slightly revised livery rolled out with introduction of the Dream)liner...? Or is the cheatline exclusive to the Dream)liner fleet.

EK413

Can anyone make a rendering of a Continental or better yet Texas International A380 livery??? It would be airline history for CO/UA at its most correct time in history. Not a fan of Lorenzo but this would take us back almost to square ONE years ago!!!

CALTECH wrote:

kaitak744 wrote:

Not doubting when you or United says it will be delivered. Just saying, I have never seen such window coverings, unless a short term storage is planned.

Don't think it has time for short term storage. Believe it is a extra liquid protection from the removal of the 'green' preservative, and not sure about Boeing's paint process, but there used to be a acid wash. Think it is to make sure no acid touches the window panes.

Bald1983 wrote:

The last photo is more like "Your joking, right?" or "Not in your wildest dreams."

Look below the last photo,.....

An A-380 in UAL livery?

EK413 wrote:

Wasn't there a slightly revised livery rolled out with introduction of the Dream)liner...? Or is the cheatline exclusive to the Dream)liner fleet.

EK413

It has so far been exclusive to the 787 fleet.

intotheair wrote:

Bald1983 wrote:

DFW789ER wrote:

It's not uncommon for a new a/c type to be delivered with a new livery, but there's been no discussion of anything new. I still cannot look at the current livery and not think it should still say Continental on the side. UA really does need new branding.

Merger happened. I also was partial to Continental. However it is done. The airline is United and the livery is the Continental livery. Time for all to move on.

And as someone who was a UA loyalist who was crushed to see the merged identity the day it was announced, I fully agree. Time for UA to get over all its grievances, move on, and reposition itself again as a competitive, world class airline. So far, things are looking up for UA.

I also did not care for the merger, but it is done. Hopefully the new United, particularly with Smizek gone, will be better then the two airlines that merged.

Ahh, yes. UA's Polaris-equipped 77W.

Spring time for those in B̶u̶s̶i̶n̶e̶s̶s̶PolarisFirst, winter time for those stuck in 10-abreast 16.8" wide Y.

VC10er wrote:

admittedly, I did something similar on the PEPSI CONCORDE so I shouldn't throw a stone

Nice!



Ref: http://jalopnik.com/remember-when-a-con ... 1709488664

I remember when the Pepsi cans became blue, but I don't remember the Concorde wearing the blue Pepsi livery.

In that context:

I have stated this before, one of the biggest strategic mistakes a company can make is to update their branding before updating it's product. That is true for UNITED, or for PIZZA HUT. A really new livery (not the small touch on the 787) signals a PROMISE of something new. Make that promise, but then deliver the "same old" can kill a company. I think (in fact I know given that I have been in branding for 30 years) that once enough aircraft are refitted with Polaris, the UNITED CLUBS renovated (especially the HUBS like EWR) and the service keeps improving, THEN SIGNAL THE CHANGE...and lead new customers your way and shore up the loyalty of your base.

... the linked article says the Pepsi plane was painted in secret then wrapped in brown paper then flown in the dark from CDG to LGW then kept in secret till the unveiling.

It's kind of hard to do that with an entire fleet of airliners, especially now in the days where everyone walks around with a hi-res camera everywhere they go. I guess as you say then you need to roll out the improvements first then change the branding. However as mentioned later in the thread, for most people the new livery might end up being associated with the degradation in service to 10-across in Y class rather than 'Polaris'....

PS: Why 'Polaris'? Who wants to be reminded of the polar regions?

PPS: Did you get to hang out with Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford ???

So, is this Polaris being installed by Boeing prior delivery or UA post? If the latter, at SEA, DEN or ??? ?

Revelation wrote:

PS: Why 'Polaris'? Who wants to be reminded of the polar regions?

From the FAQ:

Where did the United Polaris name come from?
Polaris is the North Star, the point in the nighttime sky that travelers have long used as their guide. We chose the name United Polaris to represent the reimagined travel experience that flyers can rely on for true comfort and real sleep as they travel the world.

It almost sounds like it could have been a code name for the project that they decided to keep, just like Apple and the Macintosh. I think it's a great name if it's also taken to signify that UA has found its north star and is finally moving in the right direction. Let's hope!

Quick update......Matt Cawby had a shot on his subscription photo blog
showing UA's1st 77W entering the paint hangar at PAE 24 Oct

http://painefield.info/images/kpae13756f.png

Bald1983 wrote:

DFW789ER wrote:

It's not uncommon for a new a/c type to be delivered with a new livery, but there's been no discussion of anything new. I still cannot look at the current livery and not think it should still say Continental on the side. UA really does need new branding.

Merger happened. I also was partial to Continental. However it is done. The airline is United and the livery is the Continental livery. Time for all to move on.

Well no - I believe with lots of management turnaround over the last mouth that further branding changes are coming. The livery is 25+ years old and is associated with a damaged merger. Would like to see some modification of it within the next few years (Polaris isn't good enough.)

piedmont762 wrote:

Bald1983 wrote:

DFW789ER wrote:

It's not uncommon for a new a/c type to be delivered with a new livery, but there's been no discussion of anything new. I still cannot look at the current livery and not think it should still say Continental on the side. UA really does need new branding.

Merger happened. I also was partial to Continental. However it is done. The airline is United and the livery is the Continental livery. Time for all to move on.

Well no - I believe with lots of management turnaround over the last mouth that further branding changes are coming. The livery is 25+ years old and is associated with a damaged merger. Would like to see some modification of it within the next few years (Polaris isn't good enough.)

I agree, I believe United needs to rebrand in order to give a 'new' feeling to passengers. They can visually see a change along with Polaris. They should follow American Airlines' footsteps for rebranding, as they rebranded with a new livery and said it's the 'new American,' even though it was the same. Overall, it gave passengers a new feeling which changed their opinions.

GamingPolaris wrote:

piedmont762 wrote:

Bald1983 wrote:

Merger happened. I also was partial to Continental. However it is done. The airline is United and the livery is the Continental livery. Time for all to move on.

Well no - I believe with lots of management turnaround over the last mouth that further branding changes are coming. The livery is 25+ years old and is associated with a damaged merger. Would like to see some modification of it within the next few years (Polaris isn't good enough.)

I agree, I believe United needs to rebrand in order to give a 'new' feeling to passengers. They can visually see a change along with Polaris. They should follow American Airlines' footsteps for rebranding, as they rebranded with a new livery and said it's the 'new American,' even though it was the same. Overall, it gave passengers a new feeling which changed their opinions.

For sure. I didn't know what to think of AA's branding at first but it's really grown on me and makes me appreciate the classic "Eagle" livery even more. UA's globe logo is associated with Smisek and his mentality of "well of course I'm keeping it because I made it." Now look where he is now. The fact the 773 rolls out of the factory in this livery indicates to me that either they are stubborn & don't want to spend money, they are tone deaf, or new branding is coming independent of the new fleet type. The fact that they made minor interior changes relating to Polaris but don't show many exteriors leads me to think it's the latter.

I'd love to see that 77W roll out with a Dreamliner style wavy gold stripe, but I'm not holding my breath

piedmont762 wrote:

GamingPolaris wrote:

piedmont762 wrote:

Well no - I believe with lots of management turnaround over the last mouth that further branding changes are coming. The livery is 25+ years old and is associated with a damaged merger. Would like to see some modification of it within the next few years (Polaris isn't good enough.)

I agree, I believe United needs to rebrand in order to give a 'new' feeling to passengers. They can visually see a change along with Polaris. They should follow American Airlines' footsteps for rebranding, as they rebranded with a new livery and said it's the 'new American,' even though it was the same. Overall, it gave passengers a new feeling which changed their opinions.

For sure. I didn't know what to think of AA's branding at first but it's really grown on me and makes me appreciate the classic "Eagle" livery even more. UA's globe logo is associated with Smisek and his mentality of "well of course I'm keeping it because I made it." Now look where he is now. The fact the 773 rolls out of the factory in this livery indicates to me that either they are stubborn & don't want to spend money, they are tone deaf, or new branding is coming independent of the new fleet type. The fact that they made minor interior changes relating to Polaris but don't show many exteriors leads me to think it's the latter.

The Globe was not Smizek. The merged UAL had the misfortune to have Smizek at the helm of Continental at the time of the merger. That airline rose out of the ashes thanks to Mr. Bethune. I believe the Globe was kept as a compromise, with the name being United. It also made sense, given that the pmUAL was a mix match of liveries, whereas Continental's livery was standardized, well before the merger. The reality is people do not choose to fly on an airline because of the livery.

American was different for two reasons. American belatedly started its fleet modernization; not that many years ago, the MD-80 was the domestic workhorse. Second, its silver color was the actual metal. That will not work with the 787 as the 787 is not made of medal. They had to change their livery as the old livery would not work.

I b leieve UAL is putting their efforts to good effect on the onboard experience. To steal a movie line from an old movie, "It's not the size of nose; it's what's in it."

The globe was kept going forward as a result of Smisek's frugal mindset. It was about costs and costs only. Before the merger sUA had planes that were still in battleship as well as rising blue, while the CO fleet was all in the same livery. It was cheaper to paint all the UA planes into CO colors and just slap a United sticker over the Continental name than it was to repaint the entire fleet into a new livery. Nothing to do with compromise or "merger of equals". Just the almighty dollar as was everything else under Smisek..

dc10co wrote:

The globe was kept going forward as a result of Smisek's frugal mindset. It was about costs and costs only. Before the merger sUA had planes that were still in battleship as well as rising blue, while the CO fleet was all in the same livery. It was cheaper to paint all the UA planes into CO colors and just slap a United sticker over the Continental name than it was to repaint the entire fleet into a new livery. Nothing to do with compromise or "merger of equals". Just the almighty dollar as was everything else under Smisek..

I also remember reading that in the DOJ hearing, PMUA CEO Glenn Tilton would agree to the merger only if the merged airline was called United with WHQ in Chicago. Everything else was negotiable, he said.

Bald1983 wrote:

piedmont762 wrote:

GamingPolaris wrote:

I agree, I believe United needs to rebrand in order to give a 'new' feeling to passengers. They can visually see a change along with Polaris. They should follow American Airlines' footsteps for rebranding, as they rebranded with a new livery and said it's the 'new American,' even though it was the same. Overall, it gave passengers a new feeling which changed their opinions.

For sure. I didn't know what to think of AA's branding at first but it's really grown on me and makes me appreciate the classic "Eagle" livery even more. UA's globe logo is associated with Smisek and his mentality of "well of course I'm keeping it because I made it." Now look where he is now. The fact the 773 rolls out of the factory in this livery indicates to me that either they are stubborn & don't want to spend money, they are tone deaf, or new branding is coming independent of the new fleet type. The fact that they made minor interior changes relating to Polaris but don't show many exteriors leads me to think it's the latter.

The Globe was not Smizek. The merged UAL had the misfortune to have Smizek at the helm of Continental at the time of the merger. That airline rose out of the ashes thanks to Mr. Bethune. I believe the Globe was kept as a compromise, with the name being United. It also made sense, given that the pmUAL was a mix match of liveries, whereas Continental's livery was standardized, well before the merger. The reality is people do not choose to fly on an airline because of the livery.

American was different for two reasons. American belatedly started its fleet modernization; not that many years ago, the MD-80 was the domestic workhorse. Second, its silver color was the actual metal. That will not work with the 787 as the 787 is not made of medal. They had to change their livery as the old livery would not work.

I b leieve UAL is putting their efforts to good effect on the onboard experience. To steal a movie line from an old movie, "It's not the size of nose; it's what's in it."

I credit Greg Brenneman more with the turnaround at CO more than Bethune. Bethune was a puppet, Brenneman was making the moves behind the scenes. There is no way in hell CO would have existed had it not been for him.

Smisek was a loser, Bethune might go down in history as a fool by going on CNBC last year and saying Smisek is the "most honest person he knows" Or Bethune might be going senile, IDK.

Unfortunately that livery compromise is now ingrained in the traveling public for screwing up a merger. To get people back on board they really need to do something other than Polaris, which doesn't even look all that exciting.

"The globe was kept going forward as a result of Smisek's frugal mindset. It was about costs and costs only. Before the merger sUA had planes that were still in battleship as well as rising blue, while the CO fleet was all in the same livery. It was cheaper to paint all the UA planes into CO colors and just slap a United sticker over the Continental name than it was to repaint the entire fleet into a new livery. Nothing to do with compromise or "merger of equals". Just the almighty dollar as was everything else under Smisek.."

Agreed!